1. Vibrant and Viable Places
For Princes Regeneration Trust
Ceri Davies
Homes and Places Division
Department for Communities and Tackling Poverty
Vibrant and Viable Places 1

2. Presentation overview
Background
Review
Framework
Targeted investment
Tackling Poverty and Loans
VVP and Heritage
Cadw 2

3. 1. Background 3 3

4. 1.1 Context Enduring economic downturn
Renewed focus on jobs and growth, and tackling poverty
Imminent fulfilment of commitments to existing seven Regeneration Areas
Housing as key driver of regeneration
Particular challenges (identified in 2011 Labour manifesto):
Changing functions of town centres
Role of coastal communities
Need to align with Communities First 4

5. 1.2 The story
2012-early 2013: Regeneration policy review and formal consultation
March 2013: ‘Vibrant and Viable Places’ framework published
July 2013: Stage 1 bids from 22 local authorities assessed go forward; £5 million poverty fund announced
January 2014: 11 local authorities get 3 year allocations 5

6. 2. Review 6 6

7. 2.1 Policy review key messages
Changing consumer patterns
Market cannot deliver in difficult economic climate
Strengthened governance needed for delivery
Local partnership and engagement critical – both People and Place
Need for clear, cross-government articulation of policy 7

8. 2.2 Lessons learned from 7 Regeneration Areas
Regeneration area strengths in partnership, local knowledge and investment levered in
Regeneration area limitations
surrounding policy and objectives too broad
funding not driven by strategic rationales at national or local level
displacement of mainstream funding 8

9. 3. Framework 9 9

10. 3.1 Vision and definition
Our vision is that everybody in Wales should live in well-connected vibrant, viable and sustainable communities with a strong local economy and good quality of life.
We define regeneration as “an integrated set of activities that seek to reverse economic, social, environmental and physical decline to achieve lasting improvement, in areas where market forces will not do this alone without some support from government”.

11. 3.2 Key indicators Stronger link with tackling poverty and jobs/growth
Job creation
Supporting people into work
Levering in private and other funding
Monitoring how much money spent in Wales

12. 3.3 Governance Local delivery
Local authority led
Effective partnerships
National strategic oversight and facilitation
Whole-Government approach
Overseen by new Ministerial Advisory Group

13. 3.4 Commitments
£90m targeted regeneration investment over next three years (£102 m agreed at end)
Additional support for:
establishing Business Improvement Districts
Town Centre Partnerships
promotion of Welsh high streets
community regeneration eg Coastal Communities Fund
Championing research, evaluation and innovation

14. 3.5 Homes
Housing and Regeneration together in one portfolio. Portfolios are key.
Regeneration investment is a key lever
Tackling impacts of welfare reform in the short term
Join up with town centre renewal
Recognising homes need places

15. 3.6 Evidence based
Targeting funding by assessing rationale in business cases
Setting national outcomes
Setting consistent monitoring and both local and national evaluation

16. 4. Targeted investment 16 16

17. 4.1 Process
Each local authority submitted one application on behalf of a local partnership (public, private, third sectors)
Guideline given of £15m for 3 years (maximum 75% WG-funded)
Application process July to January
Newport, Anglesey, Merthyr funded in full
Conwy, Wrexham, NPT, RCT, Flintshire, Bridgend, Swansea, Torfaen part funded

18. 4.2 Newport – “Connecting Commercial Street”
Poor condition heritage buildings and office space -> retail, business and residential
Landlord loans
Energy efficiency retro-fitting
Community benefits training opportunities

19. 4.3 Holyhead – “Realising Sustainable Community Benefit”
Homes - Unlocking housing development sites; “Town homes”
Places - New business space; Town centre improvement – drawing in HLF
People - Complementing Communities First, improving community facilities

20. 4.4 Merthyr – “See the potential”
Creating conditions for housing development – tackling derelict sites, attracting private investors
Addressing fuel poverty
Support to start-up businesses
Investment in community leisure facilities

21. 5. Tackling Poverty 21 21

22. 5 Tackling poverty
£7 million VVP Tackling Poverty fund for 7 local authorities
Capital / Revenue: VVP – Communities First
Catalyst for jobs and growth
Contribute to LIFT – Tackling Workless Households – 5,000 opportunities target
Requiring Community Benefits through procurement
Benefits of more and better homes

23. 6. VVP and Heritage Local Authority
Projects targeting Historic Buildings/buildings at risk
Heritage-led area-based projects
Projects with potential impact on historic character
Anglesey
Market Hall (listed grade II)
Viable Town Centre – including Townscape Heritage Initiative
Town Homes – including improvements to empty premises
Conwy
Colwyn Bay Townscape Heritage Initiative
Housing Renewal North Colwyn Bay
Flintshire
1.Living above the shop;
2.bringing vibrancy to the High Street
Wrexham
1.Redefining the town centre;
2.empty properties;
3. SW Wrexham Housing Renewal areas
Neath Port Talbot
Former Plaza Cinema (listed grade II)
1.Empty homes/neighbourhood renewal;
2.houses to homes

24. Rhondda Cynon Taff
1.From Vacant to Viable;
2.Homestep Plus;
3. Pontypridd Townscape Enhancement Programme
Swansea
1.Sandfields Housing Renewal;
2. housing above retail premises; 3. property enhancement grants
Merthyr Tydfil
1.St Tydfil’s Hospital Site –entrance block central part listed grade II, setting and curtilage issues;
2. Labour Exchange
3. Theatre Royal – listed grade II
4. Miners Hall (listed grade II), Miners Arms and Kingdom Hall
5.YMCA (listed grade II)
6. Trevithick House
7. St Davids Hall – listed grade II
8. Cyfarthfa Heritage Area (Castle listed grade I)
1.Pontmorlais THI
Vacant property grants

25. Newport
1.Newport Market
2. 62 & 66 Cardiff Road (listed grade II)
3. Westgate Hotel (listed grade II)
4. Yates Hotel (listed grade II)
Townscape Heritage Initiative
1.Olympia House
2.Kings Hotel (in conservation area)
3.39 and 123 Commercial street
4.Lower Dock Street (within historic area/THI)
5. Housing Regeneration Toolkit
Bridgend
1.Homes in Town scheme
2. Nolton Street
Torfaen
1.35 Commercial Street (listed grade II)
2.St James’s Church Project (listed grade II)
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Project

26. 7. Cadw
Cadw offers grants as a contribution towards the costs of repairing and restoring historic assets as well as match funding towards community, local authority and third sector led projects.  
Cadw will consider grant offers to:
Owners for buildings that are of outstanding architectural interest, ‘at risk’ or where the funding will have substantial community regeneration benefits. The rate of grant allocated will usually be no more than 30% of eligible works.
Owners of scheduled ancient monuments to protect and enhance them. Such grants generally take one of two forms.  The first involves a grant to the owner or someone acting on his/her behalf for works which will benefit the monument. The second is based on a 'management agreement' between Cadw and the occupier of a monument which lasts for a set number of years. Under such an agreement financial help is given for positive works on a regular basis, such as fencing, scrub clearance, erosion repair, and stock control.  

27. Cadw
Local authorities towards conservation works which are part of local authority and Cadw Town Scheme Partnerships (TSPs) or the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Townscape Heritage Initiative.
Third sector or community groups for projects which promote local heritage under Cadw’s Civic Initiatives (Heritage) Grant Scheme.  The maximum grant is £5,000 to be match funded by non-public sector sources.
Jill is in the audience!!

28. 8. Questions and discussion28 28